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c 4139. Would the bruising cause suppuration ?—Yes. 4140. And cause a reopening of the wound ?—Certainly. 4141. The woman developed suppuration after the operation, and then septic poisoning?— Yes. 4142. Where was the septic poison to come from : it cannot come without the germs of the disease ?—No. 4143. The mere fact of bruising the parts will not cause it ?—No. 4144. Is there anything in the operation itself or in the woman's condition to cause it?— Not in the operation itself. 4145. We have heard a good deal about the tissues being bruised considerably. Would it not, however, be perfectly consistent with the fact that the air was unhealthy ? —Yes. 4146. And the atmosphere of the room in which Mrs. A was—a crowded room, insufficiently ventilated—would be quite sufficient, would it not, to account for that ?—Yes. 4147. Did you see Dr. Batchelor examine Mrs. T—— ?—Yes. 4148. Was it carefully conducted ?-—Yes. The examination was made on the 10th, and she was put under chloroform. 4149. What was the object of that examination?— She was put under chloroform, and a careful examination made in order to ascertain if there was any reason why the operation should not be performed. 4150. Supposing that the woman was suffering from chronic endoinetritis, as Dr. Gordon Macdonald says she was, could that fact have escaped the attention of Dr. Batchelor ?—I hardly think it could. 4151. Supposing that there was a sticky, yellow discharge, such as Mr. Hogg wrote about, could that have escaped the observation of an experienced surgeon searching for a cause?—l should not think so. I hardly think it could have escaped him. 4152. You were present at the operation ?—Yes. 4153. Did you note anything in it to call for remark?—-I do not think there was. But I did not see the operation. 4154. You know Dr. Batchelor to be a careful surgeon,do you not?— Yes ;heis a very careful surgeon indeed. 4155. And particular about his antiseptic treatment? —Yes ; very particular. 4156. Mr. Chapman.} Concerning these cases said to be awaiting operation. Four are Dr. Batchelor's ; whose are the other four ?— Dr. Maunsell's, I think. 4157. It has been insinuated that some members of the medical staff, including Dr. Coughtrey, are antagonistic to the University, and presumably to the Medical School. Mr. Carew : That has not been insinuated ; it has been stated by Mr. Solomon. 4158. Mr. Chapman.] So far as you know, is there any truth in it ?—I know nothing about it. Mr. Solomon: I did not say anything of the kind just attributed to me. I said that some members of the staff were antagonistic to Dr. Batchelor in the matter of hospital reform, and I say so still. 4159. Mr. Chapman.] Then, it is not true that they are antagonistic to the University ?—I know nothing about it. 4160. Have you any reason to suppose anything of the sort?—l have not. 4161. Have you ever known any of the medical gentlemen obstructing hospital reform?—l do not know what the staff do ; they do not come to me. I never heard of such a thing. 4162. Could Dr. Batchelor have made arrangements to have operated on Mrs. T——- in the ward, if he had desired to do so?—lt could have been done. 4163. Have such things been done when emergency required?— Yes. 4164. Complaint was made that the lighting was bad on one occasion. Could he have obtained additional light if he had asked for it ?—Yes. I may say that I have seen operations for abdominal sections performed in the same ward. 4165. The Chairman.] In No. 5 ward?— Yes; it was done two or three years ago. 4166. Mr. Chapman.] If a surgeon thinks it urgent or necessary to operate in the ward there is not, I suppose, any law compelling him to go to the operating-theatre?— Certainly not. 4167. At any rate, Dr. Batchelor knew all the defects of which he now complains ?—Yes; I should think so. 4168. A statement has been made that out of two hundred cases referred to sixty of them are associated with septic trouble. Is not that a "grossly exaggerated" statement?— There might be sixty cases associated with septic symptoms, but I should like to know where the septic arose from. 4169. Do not a great many people come into the Hospital in that condition, suffering from wounds, burns, ulcerations, etc. ? —Yes. 4170. Have you any reason to suppose that that is a correct list ?—lt may be correct. 4171. Did not Dr. de Zouche want to perform a secondary operation at once on Mrs. T ? —Yes; and if Dr. Maunsell had not come in it would have been done. 4172. It would have been done as an emergency matter? —Yes. 4173. Mr. Careiv.] Can you say to what extent, in your opinion, the unfavourable state of the Hospital has affected the death-rate ?—I hardly think it has affected the death-rate at all since I came to the Hospital. I can speak of nothing before that. The cases which have died have, as a rule, been very hopeless cases. Mr. Chapman here wished to put in Dr. Brown's letter of resignation, but Mr. Solomon objected, and the Commissioners upheld the objection.